Bangladesh’s 37-year-old all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has announced his retirement from T20 internationals. However, he will continue to play in franchise leagues. He remains the only player from Bangladesh to have participated in every T20 World Cup to date.
A new trend seems to be emerging in the cricket world, with players announcing their retirements one after another. In this sequence, Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan has now decided to retire from T20 internationals. He has also expressed his intention to retire from Test cricket but has not yet confirmed the exact date for that. Nevertheless, Shakib plans to continue his career in franchise cricket.
Shakib made this announcement while addressing the media before the second Test match against India. He expressed his desire to play his final Test match in Mirpur. If the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) accepts this request, he will have a farewell in Mirpur; otherwise, the Test match against India in Kanpur will be his last. However, his participation in the upcoming home Test series against South Africa is subject to receiving security clearance.
Shakib is one of the greatest players in Bangladesh’s cricket history. He has played in 129 T20 International matches for Bangladesh and remains the only player from the country to have played in all editions of the T20 World Cup. Shakib remarked,
“This is the right time for me to retire, considering the 2026 World Cup. This will give selectors a chance to bring in more talented players, and I believe the team will perform well.”
Shakib Al Hasan Career Performance:
This legendary all-rounder has played 70 Test matches, scoring 4,600 runs, including five centuries and 31 half-centuries. He has also excelled in bowling, taking 242 wickets, with his best bowling figures being 7 wickets for 36 runs. In 129 T20 matches, Shakib scored 2,551 runs with a strike rate of 121.25, along with 13 half-centuries. As a bowler, he took 149 wickets, with his best performance being 5 wickets for 20 runs.
It is worth noting that during a period of political instability in Bangladesh, Shakib was named as an accused in a murder case. As a result, he must secure clearance to play in Mirpur. During this time, Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had to resign amid political turmoil. Shakib, a former Member of Parliament from the Awami League, must navigate these challenges to continue his cricketing career.
